When you listen to music do you just listen to the beat and rythm or do you list

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   PoeticPhilosophyposted 11 years ago

   When you listen to music do you just listen to the beat and rythm or do you listen to the lyrics.
   
   I use to always listen to music with the flow and beat and only the main parts of the song I listened to. Eventually when I got older I listened to the whole tune of the song, lyrics, beat flow.
   But before this I didn't. Do any of you just listen to the rhythm or do you pay attention to the lyrics and meaning in music? Cheers
   
   

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   Dan Barfieldposted 11 years ago

   When I was at school I was involved in a lot of music - choir, orchestra, big band etc. Playing different parts as well as studying music theory (at least on a basic level) made me learn how to listen in different ways. I now listen to different parts of a musical piece and easily follow bass lines, harmonies, different individual instrumental parts... or the piece as a whole sound. It is a skill I am eternally grateful to have been taught as it adds another level of understanding and pleasure to the experience of listening to music.

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      PoeticPhilosophyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That's beautiful, add little by little. Thanks for your answer.

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   ParadigmEnactedposted 11 years ago

   All of it. The rhythm, fills, breaks, and beats should be extensions of the lyrics and help drive the theme of the song. That doesn't always happen though and you have people and groups that specialize in different elements. I'll usually take songs for what they are. Some good musically, some good lyrically, once in a great while you'll get both.
   
   It's almost always something lyrical or the way something is articulated which makes an impression on me.

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      PoeticPhilosophyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Amazing, you describe thing's so good! Yeah what makes a big impression for me is the rhythm with the flow, the lyric's they need to make sense but not something I maaainly pay attention to but I do. Thanks for your answer

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   Chris Quposted 11 years ago

   Sometimes both, sometimes not. It depends on the music. Sometimes, a song can be sang in an interesting way, where the voice acts like an instrument. Maybe it's a guttural scream in a metal song. Or maybe it's a voice that has been reversed, inversed, distorted, and flipped on its head for a techno song. In both cases, as in others, listening solely for lyrics makes no sense.
   
   Speaking of lyrics that make no sense: lots of very famous musicians had lyrics like that. Nirvana and The Beatles come to mind.
   
   Similarly, I listen to a lot of Japanese rock; but I don't speak Japanese. While I can appreciate the singing, I can't comprehend the significance of the lyrics -- so that all goes over my head. It's about the music to me.
   
   This all being said, I can very much appreciate lyrics that resonate for me. They can add a lot to a good song. The point is, there is definitely more to a song than lyrics though. And I listen to songs as a whole package.
   
   Edit: I read the question wrong... But my answer is still somewhat relevant. I went and added some detail, but I'm going to leave it here... X(

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      PoeticPhilosophyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Cool thank you for your take on this! I can't understand Japanese but I LOVE they're gift with instrument's, I have listened to a lot of they're music without voice it's beautiful.

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